Planning details checked September 22, 2026.
Elkmont is a good Smokies base for people who want forest camping near Gatlinburg and can live without showers or hookups. Its low nightly fee is appealing, but the right question is whether your group will enjoy several nights with basic facilities. For a first family camping trip, start with a short stay and a simple food plan.
- Base fee: $30 per site per night.
- Location: approximately eight miles from Gatlinburg.
- Facilities: flush toilets, cold water and drinking water; no showers or campsite hookups.
- Big planning trap: your campsite does not cover parking elsewhere in the park.
- RV approach: avoid the Metcalf Bottoms bridge route.
Reserve a site that fits your equipment
- Open Elkmont on Recreation.gov and enter the exact dates, people and equipment you are bringing.
- Check individual site dimensions, driveway slope and permitted equipment before choosing a site number.
- For a quieter tent stay, look at the seasonally generator-free loops and the distance to toilets.
- Complete checkout, read the cancellation terms and save the site number and arrival instructions offline.
- Recheck park road and campground alerts just before departure.
Sites allow up to six people. A published campground capacity does not tell you whether two tents and their guy lines fit comfortably. Check your selected site's pad and approach instead of booking first and measuring later. The campground is seasonal; an empty calendar outside its operating season does not mean walk-up winter camping is available.
Loop selection, bathrooms and RV limitations
| Need | What to check |
|---|---|
| Less generator noise | Loops A, B, L, M and N are generator-free May 15–October 31; verify your dates and site |
| Easy nighttime bathroom trips | Follow the route on the map; choose convenience without placing yourself beside the busiest path |
| RV services | No hookups or on-site dump station; the listed dump/fill option is at Sugarlands, about six miles away |
| Daily showers | There are none at Elkmont; arrange an off-site alternative before committing to a long stay |
If towing, use the campground's recommended approach from Gatlinburg or Townsend. Do not blindly accept a shorter navigation route via Metcalf Bottoms. Arriving in daylight makes backing into a site and checking its slope easier.
Parking tags: where the campsite exemption ends
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has no entrance fee, but parking for more than 15 minutes generally requires a displayed parking tag. Your vehicle at its designated campsite is exempt; trailhead and other park parking are a separate matter.
Current tag prices are $5 daily, $15 weekly or $40 annually. Two separate sightseeing days cost $10 with daily tags; at three days, the $15 weekly tag costs the same and covers a longer period. A tag does not reserve a space. Follow the display instructions; a digital receipt alone is not the displayed tag.
Two-night example: $60 for the campsite plus two $5 daily tags equals $70 in camping and those parking charges. Groceries, firewood, equipment and any off-site showers are additional. Buy the tag duration that fits the actual days you will park away from camp.
Food, firewood and bringing a dog
Stock up before reaching camp rather than relying on a full grocery shop at the campground. For two nights, keep the menu small: one easy arrival dinner, breakfasts you can make quickly and a packed trail lunch. Put snacks in one managed container rather than scattering them through the tent. Follow the posted bear-food storage instructions every time you leave or go to sleep.
Bring only properly certified heat-treated firewood into the park, or buy compliant wood locally. A bundle from your backyard is not equivalent. Elkmont has seasonal firewood sales, but carry a meal plan that does not depend on a campfire or a store being open.
Dogs must be leashed, and most Smokies trails do not allow pets. The park identifies the Gatlinburg Trail and Oconaluftee River Trail as the two pet-friendly trails. Check this before arranging a long hiking day with a dog; a campsite accepting pets does not make nearby trails pet-friendly.
Packing for a damp forest campsite
- Dry sleeping system: reliable rainfly, correctly sized groundsheet, insulated pads and dry bags for sleep clothes.
- Lighting: headlamps for each person and spare power, with lights kept low around neighbors.
- Basic kitchen: permitted stove, fuel, easy meals, water containers and supplies for cleanup in designated places.
- Comfort: warm layers, rain jackets, camp shoes and a quick-drying towel for any planned off-site shower.
- Arrival kit: printed or saved booking, site map and parking-tag instructions.
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A family-friendly two-night plan
Set up before dinner on day one. On the full day, choose a single main outing and bring lunch so you are not driving back and forth through Gatlinburg. Leave enough daylight for drying gear and preparing dinner. Keep departure morning simple rather than booking an activity that conflicts with packing.
For an autumn outing beyond the park, see the Kyker Farms corn maze and pumpkin-patch guide. Check the event's opening days before fitting it around camping.
If you need a hotel before or after your stay, compare options in Gatlinburg or Townsend. These general search links do not reserve a campsite or guarantee this property's availability.
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Facilities and booking: Recreation.gov. Firewood and pet rules: NPS Elkmont information. Parking-tag fees and campground parking exemption.